Sarah Thawer: A Mash-Up of Drums!! – A Percussion Fiesta!

http://www.youtube.com/user/SarahTDrumGuru

Music Initiative at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York

“In the Footsteps of Babur: Musical Encounters from the Lands of the Mughals”

Geneva, 18 November 2011 – As part of the opening of New Galleries for the Art of the Arab Lands, Turkey, Iran, Central Asia, and Later South Asia at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Museum will co-present a concert of new music featuring music commissioned by the Aga Khan Music Initiative on 9 December 2011.

via General News: Music Initiative at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.

Kronos Quartet with Special Guest Homayun Sakhi Trio | The Chan Centre for Performing Arts

Two world-class ensembles, one monumental collaboration. West meets East as America’s premier new music pioneers, the Kronos Quartet, and Homayun Sakhi, one of the greatest Afghan rubab players of his generation, cross musical boundaries to create a bold sound that is nothing short of spectacular.

After separate sets, the musicians will share the stage to perform Sakhi’s luminous composition Rangin Kaman, translated as “rainbow” in Farsi.

For more than 30 years, the Kronos Quartet – David Harrington, John Sherba (violins), Hank Dutt (viola) and Jeffrey Zeigler (cello) – has pursued a singular artistic vision, combining a spirit of fearless exploration with a commitment to expanding the range and context of the string quartet.

This concert is presented in collaboration with the Aga Khan Music Initiative, a programme of the Aga Khan Trust for Culture.

via http://www.chancentre.com.

Kronos Quartet opens doors to brave new worlds – Concert presented in collaboration with the Aga Khan Music Initiative

Kronos Quartet with Homayun Sakhi Trio, Chan Shun Concert Hall at UBC’s Chan Centre, Saturday, Nov. 5 at 8 p.m. Concert presented in collaboration with the Aga Khan Music Initiative, a program of the Aga Khan Trust for Culture.

SAN Francisco’s adventurous Kronos Quartet has spent more than three decades exploring sounds and redefining what a new music/ contemporary classical music ensemble should sound like.

via Kronos opens doors to brave new worlds.

Interview: Quartet in talks to do more with Aga Khan Foundation

North Shore News: When did you meet Alim Qasimov?

David Harrington: I think it was about 1995 or ’96 in London. His singing just blew me away. I’ve known of his work for a long time and it wasn’t until several years ago that we were actually able to finally work together.

North Shore News: When you work with Qasimov is his daughter and ensemble part of the package?

David Harrington: Initially when we were working out the pieces he had two musicians with him. Fargana was not there. We did a performance in San Francisco and he sang all the parts – pretty amazing – but then when we did the world premiere in London his full ensemble and Fargana were there and in all of the concerts it’s been them together. I think she’s totally amazing as well. She’s just a great artist.

via http://www.nsnews.com.

Afghan musician playing in Burnaby at the Ismaili Centre

Burnaby’s Ismaili Centre will get a sneak peek at a unqiue cross-cultural musical collaboration.

Afghanistan’s legendary Homayun Sakhi Trio will be performing a private concert at the centre on Nov. 4, as a lead-up to a major concert on Saturday, Nov. 5 at the Chan Centre for the Performing Arts.

Sakhi is a master of the rubâb, a lute-like instrument from Afghanistan.

“During the country’s long years of armed conflict, when music was heavily controlled, censored, repressed and, finally, totally banned, the classical rubâb style to which Homayun devoted his career not only survived but reached new creative heights,” a press release notes.

The day after his Ismaili Centre performance, Sakhi brings his renowned trio to the stage at the Chan Centre to share the spotlight with the celebrated Kronos Quartet – featuring David Harrington and John Sherba on violin, Hank Dutt on viola and Jeffrey Zeigler on cello.

via Afghan musician playing in Burnaby.

Remix 2011 at Ismaili Centre Dubai: A journey into the past on the notes of ancient music

Dubai: There was no room for chatter at the Remix 2011 concert last week. All attention was on the 12-man band on stage at the Ismaili Centre in Dubai.

The talented musicians captured the attention of hall as they played their instruments. Lured into submission by one composition after another, the audience surrendered in blissful silence.

In an attempt to immortalise the musical legacies of the Middle East and Central Asia the Aga Khan Music Initiative organises such performances and educational programmes among young artists across several countries.

“Not only the archaic instruments but the Ismaili Centre with its scenic structure in the heart of Dubai inspired by the Fatimid era transported us back to an ancient time,” a member of the audience said.

via http://gulfnews.com/news/gulf – gulfnews.

Weekend Pakistan: A Celebration of the Poetry and Music of Pakistan in Paris

Co-presented by Théatre de la Ville and the Aga Khan Music Initiative

Paris, 7 October 2011 — The Aga Khan Music Initiative and Théatre de la Ville team continue their 3-year partnership with a two-day celebration of Pakistani music and poetry at the Théatre de la Ville in Paris on the 8th and 9th of October 2011.

The weekend, featuring 20 Baluchi, Sindhi and Pashtun musicians and poets, will begin with readings of the folk stories and popular poetry of the nomads of Baluchistan.

http://www.akdn.org/Content/1082/A-Celebration-of-the-Poetry-and-Music-of-Pakistan-in-Paris
http://www.theatredelaville-paris.com/spectacle-LaQuetedelinvisiblepoemesspirituels-433

Second Phase of Folklore Local Music in Afghanistan – Presented by Aga Khan Trust for Culture

Local music CDs and DVDs of Herat and Badghis provided by cultural section of Aga Khan Foundation submitted on Sunday to Umar Sultan, acting deputy minister for information and culture. The second phase of the folklore local music was held by Aga Khan Foundation in Herat and Badghis provinces and real and unrecorded Afghan music have been recorded and registered in the provinces and its packs were submitted to Afghan ministry of information and culture. Umar Sultan, acting deputy minister of the ministry appreciated Aga Khan Foundation for its cooperation in this regard and said introducing of the music will help Afghan new generation in vitalizing the Afghan local music in the country.

via http://bakhtarnews.com.af – Bakhtar News Agency.

Riz Alani: No More War/Swan Song

http://www.facebook.com/Worldwithoutwar

Sufi Soul, The Mystic Music of Islam | World Festival of Sacred Music: Presented and Sponsored by Aga Khan Council

A documentary film by Simon Broughton and William Dalrymple. Post-discussion led by Dr. Hussein Rashid.

Los Angeles – TUESDAY, OCTOBER 11 – Time: 7:00pm – 9:00pm – Cost: Free; reservations required.

The mystical sounds of Islam communicating messages of peace, tolerance and love are reverently captured in the documentary film Sufi Soul by Simon Broughton and William Dalrymple. Sufis believe that it is possible to embrace the Divine Presence through individual restoration. For Sufi followers, music is a way of getting closer to God. This film traces the shared roots of Christianity and Islam in the Middle East and discovers Sufism to be a peaceful and pluralistic bastion with a worldwide following. It features many acclaimed performers, including Abida Parveen and Youssou N’Dour as well as Sain Zahoor, The Galata Mevlevi Ensemble, Kudsi Erguner, Mercan Dede, Goonga and Mithu Sain, Rahat Fateh Ali Khan and Abdennbi Zizi. Filmmaker Simon Broughton is editor of the world music magazine Songlines – a leader in its field. William Dalrymple is a historian, writer, broadcaster, and founder of Asia’s largest literary festival.

Dr. Hussein Rashid will lead a post-discussion of Sufi musical history

Imaan Shivji, 13, Guitar Player and Singer

http://www.youtube.com/user/hiphopcutie05

Shafqat Amanat Ali’s new song: “Yahaan-This place” (Beautiful Baltistan)

In coordination with Aga Khan Cultural Services Pakistan, Serena Hotels. Note acknowledgments at the source.

Producer: Zarminae Ansari

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQd9KYDm734

Ismailnameh Mugham Mystery dedicated to His Highness the Aga Khan

We are unable to locate additoinal information on this dedication; however, the music is nice.

Part-1

Part-2

Composed by Honored Artist of Azerbaijan and Honored International Artist of Niagara Ismayil Hajiyev
Violinist – Professor of Toronto Royal Conservatory Atis Bankas
Pianist – Professor of Moscow Conservatory Nina Kogan
Conductor Ismayil Hajiyev
Performed by the Azerbaijani State Chamber Orchestra in the Azerbaijan State Philharmonic Hall 2010
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TChraW3Smn8

Composer Ashiq Aziz: Playing to the next generation – thestar.com

Ashiq Aziz will be conducting opera concerts this month from August 22 to 28 in Toronto. Details of these performances can be found at www.classicalmusicconsort.org

Over the past three decades, the Tafelmusik Baroque orchestra has built up a mainstream audience in Toronto for the music of the 17th and 18th centuries. Now a new generation of period-sensitive musicians is ready to build its own designs on this foundation.

Ashiq Aziz is a case in point. He is eager to connect younger musicians with younger audiences — and he’s turning to a 20-something composer for help.

Actually, the composer was a 20-something 300 years ago.

Two years ago, the Toronto native returned from the Royal College of Music in England with a burning love for George Frideric Handel, the German-born English composer who brought us the oratorio Messiah.

Click here to read more: Playing to the next generation – thestar.com.

Arab poetry inspires oud player Dhafer Youssef | PRI’s The World

Hussein Rashid shares his opinion.

Audio report at the source.

On his latest CD, oud player Dhafer Youssef found inspiration from some classic Arabic poetry. Reporter Betto Arcos brings us his

at PRI’s The World.

A RootsWorld review of World Music | Music of Central Asia – Smithsonian Folkways

There can be no doubt; lumping musical collections into a pile based on nothing more than a huge, and often vague, geographical region seems nothing more than a convenient way to compartmentalize entire swaths of earth, music and the various peoples who perform it. It’s not like one would review avant-jazz saxophonist Daniel Carter alongside North Carolina ballad singer Dellie Norton just because they were both from the United States. It’s almost as ridiculous as writing about Kazak traditional music from Western China as Chinese, rather than, well, Central Asian. But then, it is Chinese, and Kazak, and Central Asian, even if China isn’t technically a Central Asian country. – More -

via Music of Central Asia – Smithsonian Folkways / a RootsWorld review of World Music.

Voices of Peace – The Unity in the Diversity – Article by Karim Imamdad Hunzai

“VOICES OF PEACE” – THE UNITY IN THE DIVERSITY.

The UNESCO in Paris organized the International Festival of Cultural Diversity from 17-26 May,2010.The purpose and objective of such kind of project is to promote dialogue between different cultures by expressing unity through creative artistic activities of the cultural diversity.

The musical concert of “voices of peace” was part of the program of International Festival of Cultural Diversity, presented by the “Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra” with the cooperation of Permanent Delegation of the Emirate of Qatar in UNESCO. The musical concert of the ” Voices of Peace” with the world’s well-known musicians from the 30 different cultural back-ground of the world, and about one-third of them were from countries of the Middle East, and other large number of them represent the cultural diversity of Germany, Hungary, Russia. It is also remarkable that the musical director of the concert a well-known musician, Amine Kouider, who is Algerian origin.

Alim & Fargana Qasimov – Spiritual Sounds Of Azerbaijan – at Dartmouth College

Wednesday, March 3, 2010 – 7 pm – Rollins Chapel – Dartmouth College
http://hop.dartmouth.edu/assets/pdf/notes-qasimov.pdf
http://www.akdn.org/aktc_music.asp

Brandeis University presenting amazing Arts Events – Alim and Fargana Qasimov: The Spiritual Music of Azerbaijan

Alim and Fargana Qasimov: The Spiritual Music of Azerbaijan
Saturday, March 6, 8 p.m.
MusicUnitesUS. “To be a musician, there has to be a fire burning in you,” says Alim Qasimov, who has been hailed as one of the 20th century’s greatest singers. He has revealed powerful dimensions to Azerbaijan’s classical vocal music, mugham, which originated in the great cultural centers of North Africa, the Middle East, West Asia, and Central Asia more than a millennium ago.

For this U.S. residency, Fargana Qasimov joins her father on vocals, together with a four-person ensemble. The residency is curated by ethnomusicologist Theodore Levin of Dartmouth College and produced in collaboration with the Aga Khan Trust for Culture. Brandeis sponsors open classes, lectures, and symposia on related topics.
Contact: Judy Eissenberg eissenberg@brandeis.edu 781-736-3315

http://www.brandeis.edu/now/2010/January/artsroundup.html

Badakhshan – Poetry and Songs from the Ismá’ilis of the Pamir Mountains

http://www.amazon.com/Badakhshan-Poetry-Songs

New album by Nizar Damji

Available for free download
http://www.nizardamji.com/

Music and Dance in the Pamir Mountains

Remix Asia 16 young musicians from ِAzerbaijan, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Tunisia and Uzbekistan

AKDN – October 27, 2009 – What do nineteen musicians hailing from eight countries in the Middle East, North Africa, and Central Eurasia have in common? That was the question that participants in Remix Asia strove to answer during an intensive, fortnight-long workshop and concert tour that ended in Aleppo, Syria on October 18.

The participants included sixteen young composer-performers and three master musicians who led Remix Asia’s programme of rehearsals and performances of new works inspired by traditional musical forms and styles. The master musicians were renowned vocalist Alim Qasimov (Azerbaijan), popular composer, oud player, and leading music educator Charbel Rouhana (Lebanon), and award-winning film composer and performer Khaled Mohammed Ali (Iraq).

More …
http://www.akdn.org/Content/858
http://www.akdn.org/photos_show.asp?Sid=154
http://www.mawred.org/remixasia2009.htm

Daily Times – Fusion of Sufi music of two continents

KARACHI: I have never seen my loved ones; as all of them have gone away; but still I celebrate their life. While reciting the lines from Mzere Mama by Coasto-Mijikenda, Njane Mugambi looks very excited. For Mugambi, music is passion. A music teacher by profession, he is recognised for being an ethnomusicologist.

Mugambi, a Kenyan musician, came to Pakistan with his band and brought the message of love from the coast of Kenya. He and his colleagues arrived in the city to attend a special concert, “A Journey in Sound,” which was arranged by the Aga Khan University.

via Daily Times – Leading News Resource of Pakistan – Fusion of Sufi music of two continents.